


A Conversation at the Ocean

by franscats



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Gen, Sentinel Bingo Card
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-09
Updated: 2018-02-09
Packaged: 2019-03-15 21:40:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13622193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/franscats/pseuds/franscats
Summary: Jim has a conversation with himself.





	A Conversation at the Ocean

**Author's Note:**

> This was done for the sentinel bingo challenge: Ocean
> 
> It contains spoilers for The Sentinel by Blair Sandburg

Jim looked out at the waves crashing against the rocks. It was high tide and the ocean spray shot up against the rocks slowly wearing them down. As the cold wind blew across the rocks, Jim shivered and pulled his jacket closed.

The beach was empty on the cold winter morning and slowly Jim moved closer to the edge before taking a seat just out of reach of the salty spray – a lone sentinel guarding the shore.

“A sentinel,” Jim scoffed. “More like a freak.”

He didn’t know what to do. Naomi had given Blair’s dissertation to that damn publisher and as a result Blair had tanked his career and life’s work to fix what she had done. Jim knew in his heart of hearts that Blair hadn’t betrayed him, it wasn’t in Blair to do such a thing, but in his anger he had lashed out at Blair. _“That’s because you wouldn’t listen,_ ” an inner voice told him.

“I know, I was angry,” Jim answered himself as he watched the water. He liked the power of the ocean, endlessly moving, ebbing and flowing. “I just wish he had said something to me before he declared himself a fraud. We could have come up with a better solution.”

“ _He couldn’t talk to you, you wouldn’t listen,_ ” the voice repeated.

“I’m listening now and I have to find a better solution. Blair kept his part of the bargain, I have control over my senses, mostly. I can’t let him make this kind of sacrifice.  It's his whole life.”

The internal voice sighed. “ _You could admit you are a sentinel. It would vindicate him._ ”

Jim cringed at the idea but nodded. “I guess I should.”

“ _If you don’t he will have to leave. How can he stay after telling the world that he was a fraud and using you to illustrate it? No one would believe his press conference. The sacrifices would all be for nothing.”_

Jim nodded watching the water ebb, knowing his career was going with it. “If I have to, than that is what I will have to do. I don't want to lose Blair.”

Sighing, he stood and he scanned the horizon. In the distance he could see a boat bobbing on the rough water. It was very far out, someone who was not a sentinel would never see it unaided. It was a fishing boat and Jim imagined that crew were working together to bring in their catch.

“That’s what we didn’t do, work together,” he told the inner voice. “That’s why things didn’t work. Blair should have told me what was going on and I should have listened and helped him. Maybe if we work together we can find a solution. One that works for us both.”

“ _Now you are using your head. No more reacting, start thinking,”_ the inner voice agreed.

“Yeah,” Jim nodded. “We can sue Berkshire and Rainier and get some kind of retraction where both acknowledge Blair never submitted the dissertation.”

 _“But you can’t do it without Blair,_ ” the voice reminded.

“I’ll get Blair onboard. We’ll get things fixed. Simon suggested getting a detective’s badge. Let’s see if Blair wants one. And if all that fails, I know what to do.”

Jim cast one last look at the ocean, watching as the water moved even closer to the shore, flowing in. Perhaps, just perhaps, both their careers could flow again. Smiling at the idea, Jim turned and headed back to loft. He needed to talk with Blair.


End file.
